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does my baby have colic?

The 3 phases of colic

 

Has your baby got colic or are they just fussy? It's not easy to tell in the early stages. But doing the rights things to address the cause is the key to preventing a progression of symptoms. Typically we see these phases progressing over the first 6-8 weeks...

 

phase 1

early signs of discomfort at 0-3 weeks:

  • baby seems unhappy for some reason

  • moaning and groaning

  • fussy feeding, frequent or comfort feeding

  • fussy with perhaps little crying spells

phase 2

symptoms worsen at 3-6 weeks:

  • cramping is worse

  • crying can last over an hour

  • everyone's sleep is broken

  • reflux (vomiting) often starts in this phase

  • parents often trying various medicines and remedies by now

phase 3

pain and discomfort are overwhelming:

  • usually anytime between 6-12 weeks

  • crying can continues for hours 

  • baby is in pain, exhausted and probably not eating well

  • mom and dad are frazzled

  • can last a few months

The symptoms of colic

 
moaning and groaning

 

An early sign that things could go wrong, is lots of moaning and groaning, pushing and straining, even during their sleep.  if this early symptom is present, it's likely that there's excessive gas in their digestive tract. this is the best time to really learn good burping and abdominal massage techniques. they are often not the easiest babies to burp, which is why gas is building up. 

 

cramping

 

as gas builds up and takes up more space, the baby starts to cramp... knees to chest and hands in little fists. a cramping baby that continues to show symptoms for more than a week is almost certainly experiencing colic.

 

 

reflux and silent reflux

 

Reflux is spitting up or vomiting up milk. This can happen if the baby has too much milk or when there is a bubble of gas in the digestive tract. The milk stays in one place too long and digestive acids starts to irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines. The body protects itself by throwing this up.  

 

If the milk that comes up is still fairly milky and clear, and there's no real discomfort, then it's likely that they simply drank too much. If the milk that comes up is thick and partially digested (a bit like cottage cheese) it suggests that the blockage is a little lower down in the digestive tract.

 

In the case of formula fed babies, it may also mean that their digestive system is having difficulty processing this particular brand in which case you may need to change formula.

inconsolable crying

 

Prolonged crying spells are the hallmark of late stage colic. The other symptoms would not bother us nearly as much if it weren't for a screaming and inconsolable child! The goal must always be to try and prevent the situation getting to this point! This is our mission!!

why does the gas build up?

 

  • incomplete burping technique - not getting all the winds out

  • immature digestive tract - 'kinks' in the intestinal 'hosepipes'

  • baby still learning how to 'push' gas out but not quite getting it right

  • baby swallowing too much air when feeding

 

The sooner you can start to do the right things, the easier it is to break the cycle. symptoms usually start to ease within a few days.

 

how to hold a colic baby

SIGN UP FOR A MASTERCLASS IN BURPING AND WINDING !!

In this 30 minute class, we will teach you exactly how to help get gas and wind to release from even the most difficult babies:

1. Active burping routine - 6 techniques to release both deep burps from stomach

2. Deep gas release techniques - 6 ways to untrap flatulence from digestive tract and colon 

3. Easy to follow step by step process - Instantly start to ease pressure

4. Dramatic changes within days

5. Reduce bloating, cramps, crying, reflux, etc. 

6. Costs $35 - Money back guarantee if no improvement

7. Watch as many times as you need

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